The intelligence services (SRI) in Bucharest announced that a diplomat of the Russian Embassy was expelled after a Romanian citizen was spotted providing him with information of a military nature collected while monitoring national and NATO military objectives.

Russia will respond to Romania's decision to declare a diplomat of the Russian embassy in Bucharest persona non grata, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS.

"Russia will give an appropriate response," the ministry said.

The Russian embassy rejected the accusations and said it "strictly follows" the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, according to Radio Free Europe.

The embassy's statement also indicated that the move was "aimed at a further deterioration of bilateral relations between our countries" and "can only cause regret."

The Romanian citizen involved was put under Police custody for 30 days and is being investigated for treason. 

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the authorities have decided to declare a diplomat from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest persona non grata on the territory of Romania for activities that contravene the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

Starting in 2022, the Romanian citizen collected information of a military nature and photographed military combat equipment and the movement of personnel in the vicinity of national or NATO military objectives located on the territory of Romania. The collected information was sent to diplomats from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Russian Embassy on Facebook)